In this video, we will aim to give you some tips and possible answers to 5 common
interview questions. We don’t say they our answers are the definitive answers,
but hopefully they will help you to have a response to the asked questions
and avoid any awkward silences. Make sure you do your homework and know what the job entails,
so you can adapt your answers to what the interviewer wants to hear.
Talk about Why should we hire you?
You should research the company and match your background to the job advertisement.
Moreover, you should quantify your achievements to the position you are applying for.
Talk about; That you have proven yourself to be an able employee at other companies and that you have
drive and determination to succeed. Your various experience in the sector you are applying for
and mention that you believe you would be a perfect fit in their team culture.
I believe I have the skills and abilities described in the job description.
My previous experience in this field of business will hopefully
set me apart from the other candidates. My goals and ambitions are aligned with your
company’s and what is more, from the information I have read on your website as well as what
I’ve heard from you today, I already feel a sense of connection to your team culture.
Have you ever been forced to resign?
Practise this question, particularly if you need to answer. Give clear reasons
why but keep your answer short! Be honest, but don’t go into too much detail. As long as you
sound and think positive, you will be fine. Talk about; You can say that the career hadn’t
developed in the way you had hoped, and you had the feeling you were undervalued at the company.
Common reasons are the commuting time is too long, or conversely, not being able to work remotely.
I wouldn’t say I was forced to resign, but I came to a mutual agreement with the company I worked at
before my previous one, that I didn’t fit in at the company. There were a number of factors,
including the tasks Í was required to do didn’t match the job description. Moreover,
the company relocated to another city which was further away and added another 30 minutes to my
commute time. Not only did I learn a lot from this experience, but we also parted on good terms.
What do you like the least about your current job?
Obviously, you don’t want to sound too negative about your job, even though we all have to do
tasks, which we don’t like to do. Make a list and check that these are not listed in the job
description! Keep your answer short and succinct. Talk about; A desire to develop your skills
and have more autonomy. Tell them that you are looking for a professional challenge
so you can take on new assignments, which will be a benefit for the company.
I was never given the opportunity to develop my skills in the way that I had envisaged. Moreover,
although I did have some responsibilities in my team,
I would have liked to have been able to work more autonomously.
I never felt challenged enough, even though the company had trained me for new assignments.
Their inflexibility to change, a topic that was discussed at my last appraisal meeting, was the
key reason I decided to search for a new job. How would your boss describe you?
Check the job description and brainstorm the strengths that you know will be
needed for the position. Write down these characteristics to use in your answer.
Talk about; Past conversations, or perhaps appraisal meetings when your boss described
your strengths. Refer to performance reviews you had and only use positive adjectives.
My boss would describe me as someone who is organised and works very well under pressure.
My punctuality, reliability and analytical mindset are all characteristics that I know
she and my previous superiors were impressed by. Furthermore, my problem-solving skills are valued
by her and other members of my current team. Give me an example of an important goal which you
had set in the past and tell me about how you reached it?
For this question, the interviewer wants to hear how you set and prioritise goals,
so have a good answer ready! Try to tell of an example which really was profitable for
you and the company you worked at. Talk about; How you set professional goals,
and monitor the progress. Tell the interviewer about some of your career highlights to date.
At my current company we are required to set professional goals, but I have done that since
my career started anyway. Therefore, I can always see the progress I have made during the year.
One goal which I set myself was to minimise the loss of clients that my company was suffering.
I set up a new web-based communication channel with all our clients, and within
one year we noticed that our losses had decreased dramatically. This simple but effective measure
was my most important and proudest goal to date.
We hope that these tips will help you at your next interview.
Doing your homework of the company is the key, as well as preparing for other potential questions
which might arise from the answers you give. Good luck!